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“In Bridgeport, we’re working hard to improve the quality of life for our seniors. Through programs like this, we’re providing seniors with access to valuable tools and information in the palms of their hands that will give them the opportunity to stay connected with our rapidly changing world. Thank you to Career Resources and Rotary Club of Bridgeport for their efforts in bringing this program to Bridgeport’s seniors.” – Mayor Bill Finch

Bridgeport, Conn. (June 30, 2015)­ – Mayor Bill Finch joined representatives from Career Resources Inc., Rotary Club of Bridgeport and the Department on Aging on Monday to introduce a new iPad training course for Bridgeport seniors.

“In Bridgeport, we’re working hard to improve the quality of life for our seniors,” said Mayor Finch. “Through programs like this, we’re providing seniors with access to valuable tools and information in the palms of their hands that will give them the opportunity to stay connected with our rapidly changing world. Thank you to Career Resources and Rotary Club of Bridgeport for their efforts in bringing this program to Bridgeport’s seniors.”

College students will teach participating seniors on how to use apps, communicate through email, work iPad settings, and to communicate with loved ones.

“What we are really trying to help seniors learn is that technology is not a scary thing, and it actually can be a useful tool,” said Scott Wilderman, President and CEO of Career Resources. “The nice thing about the iPad is that it’s very user friendly, and it’s very forgiving. So once a senior gets to learn how to use an iPad, I think they’ll be able to understand what kind of a great tool it will be, and how to stay connected in an emerging technology world.”

The program, which is a partnership between the City of Bridgeport, Career Resources Inc., and Rotary Club will host iPad training sessions at the Margaret E. Morton Government Monday through Wednesday starting July 13and ending on August 19 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Through a grant from the Rotary Club of Bridgeport, 15 refurbished iPad 3’s were purchased for the program.

According to reports from the Pew Research Center, older adults ages [65 and up] face a number of hurdles when adopting new technology. One such challenge is a difficulty learning how to use new tech devices. 77 percent of older adults indicate that they would need someone to help walk them through the process.

The senior adult – ages 65 and up – have seen a growth in their tech savvy and utilization in recent years. According to 2014 reports from the Pew Research Center 6 out of 10 seniors now go online and 77 percent of older adults have cell phones.